Science

A thorough and intensive study of the subject of biology, this course covers the material on the AP exam syllabus and is considered the equivalent of a first-year, college-level course. Labs in biotechnology, outside reading, and computer-based learning provide a challenging menu for the student interested in the subject of biology. This course prepares students to take the AP Biology exam.

This course assumes a strong grasp of introductory chemistry; a background in physics is helpful. Many familiar chemical concepts are investigated in more detail and several new topics such as thermodynamics and electrochemistry are introduced. Lab work in this course is more extensive and complex, and involves greater use of instrumentation such as visible spectrophotometers; more emphasis is placed on accurate quantitative results than in first-year chemistry. This course prepares students for the AP Chemistry exam.

This course is a calculus-based extension of the classical mechanics topics introduced in Honors Physics. Due to the frequent and rigorous use of differential and integral calculus techniques, students must have previously taken or concurrently be enrolled in the prerequisite calculus courses. Lab explorations and weekly problem sets are foundational pillars of each unit. This course prepares students for the AP Physics C: Mechanics exam, which is typically equivalent to one semester of physics at most colleges and universities.

Fall Semester The course begins with a breezy review of electricity, starting with a quick re-examination of circuit vocabulary and concepts. Electric fields, magnetic fields and Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction are then introduced. Students synthesize concepts by (a) measuring the magnetic field strength of the earth, (b) learning about the aurora borealis, and (c) understanding the electric power generation and distribution grid in Massachusetts. Finally, students examine how electricity and magnetism join together according to Maxwell's equations to produce light. The fall semester culminates with a gigantic design project. Students build a room-sized Rube Goldberg-style kinetic sculpture, incorporating tools and skills developed during the electricity and magnetism units. Spring Semester During the winter term, students complete a survey of basic electronic principles through a laboratory-based, discovery-oriented curriculum that introduces them to basic electronic structures, design concepts, and standard circuit elements: switches, variable resistors, capacitors, and transistors. Students build and test a handful of environmentally responsive circuits, including ones that send feedback signals to themselves. During the spring term, students work on independent high-speed imaging projects, using tools built during the winter term to study natural and/or contrived phenomena.

This advanced course offers students the opportunity to study Nature’s chemical artistry beyond the confines of a regular classroom environment. In the first portion of the course, students work to develop molecular-level understanding of biological systems and master an arsenal of techniques for probing these systems, including gel electrophoresis, chromatography, spectroscopy, and molecular modeling. In the second portion of the course, students design and conduct original research on self-selected biochemical problems. Independent work is communicated through a final poster presentation.